ABOUT US

About Georgia PKU Connect

Georgia PKU Connect was founded in 2008 by three mothers, each with a child born with Phenylketonuria (PKU). Support for the organization was cultivated through an online, Georgia-focused PKU Yahoo Group and the inspirational spirit of Emory University’s Metabolic Nutrition Team. The successful launch of Georgia PKU Connect can also be attributed to the positive energy and contributions of local families and adults with PKU!

Phenylketonuria (PKU)

PKU is a rare, inherited metabolic disorder. If left untreated, PKU causes devastating neurocognitive and psychiatric problems, including severe intellectual disability when treatment is not started within the first few weeks of life. Newborn screening for PKU began in 1963, and became a mandatory national public health program in 2007. Unfortunately, a majority of teens and adults struggle to maintain treatment due to the complexity and expense of maintaining a strict medical food diet. To prevent disability, the treatment must be continued for life.